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Auburn Basketball Injury Report: Atewe Out, Shamsid-Deen Questionable

By Nicholas Ian Allen

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One day before the Auburn basketball team travels to play rival Alabama, the Tigers received some unfortunate injury news about center Matthew Atewe and some concern surrounding whether or not sophomore guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen will be available against the Crimson Tide.

Attewe, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound center that hasn’t played since the pre-season scrimmage against West Alabama, won’t return to the floor this year.

Feb 19, 2014; Gainesville, FL, USA; Auburn Tigers center Matthew Atewe (41) against the Florida Gators during the second half at Stephen C. O

“I don’t see there’s any chance he plays this year,” Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl told reporters Friday. “It’s still a work in progress, but there’s no chance he comes back this season.”

Though he only averaged 1.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in a reserve role as a freshman, the Tigers have sorely missed Atewe’s size this season, as well as the depth he would have provided on the roster.

Cinmeon Bowers and Jordon Granger have handled most of the low post duties this season, and neither is an ideal center. Also, with Atewe and guard Antoine Mason injured earlier this year, Alex Thompson on a leave of absence and Trayvon Reed in prep school in Florida, the Tigers played six games with only eight scholarship players and lost four of them.

During that time, when Bowers or Granger needed a break, the Tigers had to rely on 6-foot-5 junior Devin Waddell.

“He’s walking better, he says it feels better,” Pearl said of Atewe. “We do know there’s some healing, but he’s demonstrated that he’s not been a real quick healer.”

As for Shamsid-Deen, his immediate outlook is much better, but the guard suffered a left shoulder injury in Wednesday’s loss to Mississippi State.

“He’s Okay,” Pearl said. “It is in his left, shooting shoulder. Even though it just went out slightly, briefly, although painfully, it’s in a much better state than the right one.”

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Shamsid-Deen has been struggling with an injured right shoulder all season, but has missed only one game. He should be considered questionable for Saturday’s contest in Tuscaloosa.

“It’s not the one that’s been popping,” Pearl said. “He’s had no history of shoulder problems in his career, and he’s had three or four subluxations this year. It definitely was not as bad as the other ones have been.”

Off-season surgery is possible, but not probable at this point according to Pearl. The Auburn training staff will continue to rehab Shamsid-Deen’s shoulders during the season in an attempt to keep him on the court.

With Mason healthy again and fellow transfer K.C. Ross-Miller emerging as a starting guard, plus top scorer K.T. Harrell and fellow senior Malcolm Canada in the mix, Auburn has plenty of options to step up and take on more minutes if Shamsid-Deen can’t go.

Still, the 5-foot-9, 170-pound Georgia native provides a spark off the bench and is surprisingly one of the team’s best penetrators.

Next: Football: Should Auburn Be the Favorite in the SEC in 2015?

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